Mary Robinette Kowal

If you are reading this…

Mary Robinette Kowal — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:33:17 +0000

Then behold! I am on a new server. The real question is: Do my posts show up in RSS again, or am I still relegated to headline only.

AMC - Fantasy Revolutions That Make for Fantastic Holidays

Mary Robinette Kowal — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:15:42 +0000

This week’s column was ridiculous fun to write. I looked at fantasy revolutions and made up holidays for them to celebrate in 233 years.

July 4 means different things to different people: fireworks, barbecue, a day off from work. But the founders weren’t thinking about any of that in 1776. They were readying for war — an eight-year struggle of which we mark only a turning point. What turning points might some of our fantasy heroes celebrate, some 233 years after their revolutions?

via AMC - Blogs - SciFi Scanner - Mary Robinette Kowal - Fantasy Revolutions That Make for Fantastic Holidays.

August Asimov’s is out with my story!

Mary Robinette Kowal — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:26:51 +0000

Forgive me for squeeing all over myself but I’ve been reading Asimov’s since I was a teen and I just had just had the dream experience. I went into the bookstore and bought a copy of the magazine with my name on the cover. My name. On the cover of Asimov’s. It’s my first sale to the magazine, which is cool enough but didn’t know until I went in that I’d made the cover.

And then! I got home tonight and Lois Tilton at IROSF reviewed the August Asimov’s today. She gave my story, “The Consciousness Problem” a RECOMMENDED.

This is a poignant and sensitive look at problems of identity and relationships, as well as scientific ethics. Elise’s mental lapses are particularly well done. The characters have clearly not thought through the implications of their project.

Swooning. I’m swooning here.

You can tell I’m a puppeteer because…

Mary Robinette Kowal — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:27:31 +0000

So, I was watching this video about Disney’s Imagineers making an animatronic figure of Obama for the Disney Hall of Presidents. When Obama is recording his speech to the microphone, I couldn’t help but watch his hands and think that it was terrible puppetry technique.

And this is the real man.

If it were a puppet, I’d smack the puppeteer and tell them that the gestures were meaningless and to stop them.

via The White House.

Jay Lake’s Green

Mary Robinette Kowal — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:35:43 +0000

I had the strangest experience while reading Jay Lake’s Green. I kept feeling like I’d read it before while absolutely knowing I hadn’t. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing derivative about the story and the plot turned in ways that surprised me. What it felt like was that this was a book that I’d read and loved, but so long ago that I’d completely forgotten it. I finally realized that it was because the character Green was so real and vivid to me that I recognized her the way I’d recognize a friend.

You know how you meet someone and feel like you’ve always known them. I had exactly that experience with this book.

This is seriously good first person writing from word one. I adored Green the character and loved Green the novel. I highly, highly recommend this book, particularly if you’re looking for a strong female protagonist.

Web Site Story

Mary Robinette Kowal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:28:07 +0000

This musical theater homage to the internet makes me chuckle.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Today was a SFWA sort of day

Mary Robinette Kowal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:56:29 +0000

I started out the morning doing SFWA stuff, largely relating to dues and the new membership software. I’m deeply pleased about all the people paying dues online with the new system this year.

The biggest thing today was the we finally, FINALLY, opened the beta version of the SFWA website to visitors.* There are still things we’re working on but the amount of content that we have to shift to the new system is huge and you know, at a certain point, waiting any longer just seems silly. So we’ll be rolling out new things, but the bones of the site are in place and ::knock on wood:: are not imploding.

This is due to the very hard work of Jon Armstrong, Nancy Fulda, Chris Hansen, Jeremy Tolbert, Christie Yant, Brandie Tarvin, Nathan Lilly, Scott Danielson, Jamie Todd Rubin and all the other volunteers who have been patiently going through the early stage testing.

Not that we’re finished, but dang, it feels good to hit this stage.

*When the site comes out of beta, the address will go back to being sfwa.org.

50% Off Sale on SubPress Forthcoming Titles.

Mary Robinette Kowal — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:56:29 +0000

Subterranean is running a 50% off sale and one of the titles is my collection “Scenting the Dark and Other Stories.”

We’ve been receiving a ton of requests that we run one of our 50% off sales, which we haven’t done in quite some time. Tim and I have carved a little time out of the SubPress schedule to handle the increased level of orders that usually accompanies one of these sales, so here goes. The rules are simple:

1. The special runs until the end of the day July 3, 2009.

2. You must buy at least 5 different titles to qualify for the sale prices. There is no the maximum number of titles you may order.

3. You may buy only one copy of a given title.

4. Your shopping cart total and automatic email confirmation won’t reflect the sale price. Don’t worry, we’ll apply the proper discount when processing your order.

5. If you’re using PayPal, do NOT go through our site. Please email us for an invoice.

6. Please note that only the titles listed below are part of the sale, and only editions with cover prices of $150 or less are included.

7. We’re not able to offer retroactive discounts on titles, or combine this special with any other coupons, specials, or savings certificates.

via Subterranean Press » Blog Archive » 50% Off Sale on SubPress Forthcoming Titles..

Gruelling week

Mary Robinette Kowal — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:56:17 +0000

I signed up to do props for a film this week. It was only two days of work and looked like a fairly light load. I did a half day on Tuesday lining up furniture and planned another half day on Wednesday to pick up the hand props. Unfortunately, things imploded when the verbal bid I got on furniture came back as a paper bid that was ten times higher than the phone quote.

So, all my Tuesday work was undone and it meant that Wednesday became about finding furniture. To make things crazier, one of the prop rental houses was in New Jersey and normally only an hour and a half away. It took me three hours to get there. Upon arriving, my vehicle wasn’t large enough and I had to make two trips. I got about half an hour of sleep all told.

Thursday was the day of the shoot and I somehow managed to actually have everything there. Largely because I hired Emily DeCola to be a runner and do last minute shopping in the morning. It was an insane and brutal schedule that I don’t recommend.

Friday I spent returning props.

I am only now feeling human again.

Why I was too tired to post, pt. 3

Mary Robinette Kowal — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:56:21 +0000

16:50 Important lesson. A rented van counts as a commercial vehicle and can’t go through the Holland tunnel. #
18:05 An hour and twenty minutes later I can see the Lincoln tunnel. #
19:01 One hour to get from the Lincoln Tunnel to City Winery, which sits just north of the Holland tunnel. Sigh. #
19:57 May I just say how much better Rob makes everything? #
21:06 Finally finished and on the way home. By subway. Beautiful, air-conditioned subway that I don’t have to drive. #
22:34 My fortune cookie says, “Keep a green tree in your heart and one day the singing bird will come.” What is that supposed to even mean? #

Mary Robinette Kowal

If you are reading this…

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